


What Comes After

by Shadith



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Multi-Fandom
Genre: Backstory, Behind the Scenes, Fluff, Gen, Headcanon, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-25
Updated: 2015-07-25
Packaged: 2018-04-11 02:20:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4417301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadith/pseuds/Shadith
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Summary: Sam Wilson is the baby of the family. Everyone agrees, even his baby sister.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What Comes After

**Author's Note:**

  * For [IndigoNight](https://archiveofourown.org/users/IndigoNight/gifts).



> Written for the Marvel POC Characters Fanworks Exchange - my first exchange ever! I tried for a ship fic but only managed to headcanon all over the place. I hope it gives you some pleasure.

Maya climbed out of her car carefully, balancing the few bags she had on her hip as she shut the door. She’d only taken a few steps when her neighbor’s teen daughter came shooting across the street. Maya hid a bemused grin. It was no secret that the girl had the biggest crush on her youngest son. Any news about his visits was sought after with all due diligence.

“Mrs. Maya did you hear about the shootings in D.C,” Naima fairly yelled. “Do you think Sam’s okay?” The girl's face was filled with an unease bordering on fear.

Maya Wilson was not the type of woman given to panic. However, news like that would set anyone’s pulse racing. “What—“

“It’s on every channel, Mrs. Maya.”

Her anxiety grew with every word from the girl. Shooing her off home, she hurried inside. Leaving her bags on the hall table as she hurried to the television. She flicked through several news channels but none of them seemed to know much.

–“shooting in downtown D.C”—

—“it’s believed that this attack is linked to the incident earlier this morning”—

—“no word yet on the number of casualties from the attack near the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge”—

She reached for the phone without thought.

* * *

In a townhouse, in a small suburb in Washington D.C. a phone started to ring. It rung constantly for several minutes. There was no one there to answer it.

* * *

Maya was not going to panic. She wasn’t. Having raised six children, the last two without their father, she has learned when to hover and when to back off. Though all six of her children had contributed to her head full of grey hair, none so much as the last three. It wasn’t that they were trouble makers, each just seemed to have their father’s empathy wrapped up in her attitude. Letting them stand on their own two feet was a hard lesson to learn. Especially, when Sam had come home all but shattered after losing Riley. It had been hard to see her baby like that. Even now, years later she had to reign in the urge to check in on him constantly.

She only allowed herself to call him twice. When she didn’t get an answer she told herself not to worry. Most likely Sam was fine, her boy was a busy man with his own life.

That held up until the next morning when reports about the helicarriers, Shields destruction and the return of Hydra were playing on every station.

She had sat stunned for what seemed like hours. She called Sam all day, switching between his house phone and his cell. She called his co-workers at the V.A. She called the numbers she had for some of his vets. There was no answer. She went to sleep that night praying harder than she ever had.

The next morning the ringing of her own phone pulled her out of a restless sleep.

“Ma, have you heard from Sam?” Despite Gideon’s deep soothing tone she could hear the fear beneath it.

“He’s not picking up,” she said quietly. Her mind darting in a thousand different directions as she paced the living room restlessly. She cursed the fact that they didn’t have any family in the D.C. area. No one she could call to run by and check on her boy. “Where is Braeden?”

“I think she’s with Sara in Cali. You think she could find out what’s going on?”

“She was a U.S Marshal. I know she keeps in contact with some of her old workmates. Maybe—“

The call-waiting beep cut her off mid-word. “Hold on, Gideon.”

“Hello?”

“Mom. Mom,” said two voices, at once. Both siblings sat crowded together over the phone, neither one willing to give ground. Yet, finding comfort in having the other one near. Just in case.

“Braeden. Sara. We can’t reach Sam. Is there _anyone_ you know in D.C. who could check on him?” Maya asked, trying to stay calm.

“I haven't heard anything through official channels. I keep getting a lot of resistance. I’ve been trying all morning. I could try Vince, he might be in town. Does anyone have Eliot’s number?” Braden’s voice was filled with nervous tension. It was a faint chance that one of her brother's vets might know what was going on.

“Eliot’s not answering either. Nobody picked up when I called at the V.A. Just a busy signal.”

“I'm gonna make some more calls. Let me see what I can dig up,” Braeden said, sounding determined. “I’ll call back in a bit.”

Maya switched the call back. It took a minute to convince Gideon she didn’t need him to come over. He had the kids this weekend. There was no sense all of them sitting around fretting.

Still by mid-day most of the family was playing a sort of phone tag. With one Wilson relative calling the next. Each one trying to figure out who was closest and free to just pick up and leave. Maya heard from family she usually didn’t get to see but once or twice a year. By late afternoon her sister had showed up with her daughters, not wanting Maya to be alone. Just in case.

As they were working through the list of people they could call or had called June’s head popped up. “Has anyone checked in with Joss?”

The question threw Maya off for a second. Before she scrambled for the phone. Her brain had done its own mental checklist. With every child except Sam deemed safe the fact that her daughter had been in seclusion with her sister Suzy had slipped her mind. But Maya knew she and Sam talked at least every other weekend. Plus, Jocelyn knew several of the people from her brother’s groups. There might even be cops she could get in contact with for information. Shaky hands punched out her sister’s number.

“Finally!” Maya recognized her daughter’s exasperated tone immediately. “I been trying to catch one of you all day.”

“You’ve heard from your brother,” Maya said hopefully, fingers clutching the phone in relief.

“No. So, I’m heading down there now. I’m was calling to let you know I’m on my way to the airport.”

Maya wasn’t sure she liked the idea of another one of her children heading into danger. Though if anyone could handle it, it’d be Jocelyn. “Are they even allowing flights in and out? Gideon was trying to find one—“

“I just talked to Gideon and Braeden. I’m taking Aunty Suzy’s jet. Already approved. The pilot should be ready for take-off by the time I get there.” Jocelyn answered as she tossed her bags into the back seat, settling into the driver’s seat. “Just had to let you know.”

Something eased in Maya’s chest. “Kay. You be careful, baby.”

Jocelyn frowned at the distress filling her mom’s voice. If Sam was in anything short of a coma, she was gonna wring his neck. “I’ll be fine. I’ll call you when I get it,” she said, before hanging up.

In Sam’s empty apartment, two days past what the world was calling the fall of Shield the ringing phone had settled into a pattern; ten minutes in two hour blocks. The ringing seemed almost desperate in its frequency and duration. On the third day it stopped.

* * *

Sam spotted Steve first. Adrenaline still pumping through his veins dulled the pain, as he hung precariously out of the chopper.

He leapt out before Fury had even landed properly, the chopper’s med bag in hand. Falling to his knees beside the still figure, Sam started yanking supplies out.

Natasha stood over them gun drawn, eyes searching the area. She grimaced at all the damage. She’d heard Cap give the order to fire. She wondered how much of it was from before that order and how much was after. The amount of violence done to Cap’s face looked very personal.

Sam ran steady hands over Cap’s still figure, assessing the damage and weighed the risks of moving Steve versus waiting for a med team. He didn’t think they had time to wait. Cutting away the ruined uniform as he applied pressure bandages where Steve needed them most. Patched him up enough that he wouldn’t bleed out, hoping that the internal injuries weren’t as bad as they looked. He called for Fury to bring him the long-board. G.W.U was the closest hospital, Steve needed to be there now.

Sam’s heart tried to beat its way out of his chest the entire ride to the hospital. It had been a long time since he’d felt this way about someone. Sam didn’t know what to think as he watched the doctors rush Steve away as Natasha leaned into his side.

“They’ve got Cap. Let them take care of you.”

Despite wanting to follow Sam nodded, letting Natasha lead him away.

“With everything that’s going on intake protocol isn’t a priority, not with this many casualties. Most likely no one’s really focusing on paperwork right now. I don’t want you giving anyone anything they can use to find you.” Her voice was calm but her gaze was taking in every single person in sight.

Surprised Sam stopped, turning a questioning gaze to Natasha.

“Hydra was in too deep to have everything revealed in one data dump. Too many moles. Too many double agents. There’s no telling who’s dirty. You are our safe place. I intend to keep it that way.”

“Someone had to have seen something,” argued Sam as he slumped onto an exam table.

Natasha shook her head. “Your friend Alec did more than keep the deep cover operatives out of the data dump. He also wiped any surveillance photos of you, all personal records scrubbed clean. Granted that’s not going to stop anyone who knows about the EXO project from figuring out it was you.” She gave a _'what can you do'_ shrug

Sam reached out catching Natasha’s arm, tugging her down beside him. She shot him a glare but allowed him to pull off her jacket. Careful fingers probed at her bandages. But the material was still dry, there didn’t appear to be any fresh bloodstains. “That’s still a lot of people. So why all the subterfuge?”

Natasha tipped her head to the side, staring at Sam. He sat still letting her look her fill. Natasha read people; it was what she did. If it made her more at ease, he had no problem being open to it. A tiny grin made its way onto her serious face. “People like Cap. Like you. Like Clint. You’re rare. Oh, I know Cap likes to believe most people are good. Maybe they are. I got no room to judge. What I do know is good or not most of them would not do what you have done. You knew what you were doing when you let us in. You knew what it would cost, what it still might and you’re ready to pay. I just don’t want you paying too much.”

“Plus, I don’t want Cap to lose his first chance to get laid this decade.” She smirked hopping down off the table. “I’ve got to rendezvous with Fury to get started on fixing this mess. I’ll see you in a few hours.” With that she vanished out the door, side-stepping the entering doctor.

Sam could only gape in bemusement after her.

* * *

Two days later, Sam and Natasha were squared off once again. Though Sam knew it was futile this time. Natasha would not be deterred again.

Natasha’s gaze narrowed. “You’ve haven’t left Steve’s side since they patched you up.”

“I’m fine,” Sam shrugged, ignoring the flare of pain in his shoulder. It had been years since he’d worn the Exo-falcon suit, his body had been reminding him of that for the last few days. Sleeping in hard-ass hospital chairs hadn’t helped.

“Besides he’d stay if it were me.” He tried, already knowing he wasn’t going to win the argument this time. He hadn’t been home in days, which meant he’d been in the same clothes for at least that long. His cell was on the freeway in pieces. He hadn’t called his family, who had to be frantic by now. Or work.

“Steve probably won’t even wake up for another day or two. Super soldier healing aside,” she insisted. “Cap wouldn’t want you letting your life fall apart because you’re too busy trying to keep his together.”

Sam knew she had a point. But this whole thing was bringing up things that were best forgotten. He wasn’t handling it well either. He just needed Steve to wake up. Once that happened he’d be fine. Maybe he’d believe that if he repeated it enough times. He’d had a vaguely idiotic thought of waiting until then to call. Then he could tell everyone everything was okay and be telling the truth. Also the minute he called the jig was up. Everyone from his mama to his baby sister would know he’d gone back in and wasn’t likely to be getting back out anytime soon. Oh and they’d all have something to say about that.

“Somebody needs to keep an eye on Cap,” he muttered, only halfheartedly trying. Because he knew what her response to that would be. Besides Natasha was right. He needed to take care of himself now. Half his thoughts already focused on the upcoming phone calls.

Natasha rolled her eyes, before glancing pointedly at the guards outside the room.

Yeah, okay. There were guards outside for Steve’s protection. He wasn’t sure he trusted them. In fact, he was pretty sure he didn’t. He knew they weren’t from Shield, but that didn’t mean anything. Whatever alphabet agency they’d come from, there was still the possibility they could be Hydra.

“Not that it matters because I’m here, now.” She crossed the room to sit in the chair beside him, then dangled a set of car keys in front of him. “I’ve got a couple days before I have to finish testifying. Go home. Shower. Eat. Rest. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Sam gave in ungracefully.

He begrudgingly admitted Natasha might have been right when he almost fell asleep at a stoplight.

* * *

Daylight was fading by the time he’d pulled onto his street. There was still enough light however to see a shape perched on the steps in front of his door. He slowed the car to a crawl, justified paranoia starting to creep in. Until the person shifted and the fading light revealed his big sister. Oh, hell. He was in for it now. Jocelyn had no problem tearing him a new one.

Pulling up to the curb he waved to the back, she stood gracefully and he caught a glimpse of her backup piece as she headed around the side. He drove around to the alley pulling into the opened garage.

She was leaning against the railing waiting for him, her dark eyes darting over him. He could see her cataloging his bruises and the stiff way he was walking. A familiar furrow on her brow, let him know she wasn’t happy. It didn't matter. She still wrapped her arms around him, holding tight, forehead buried in the crook of his neck. They stood like that for a while. With a soft sniff she stepped back, giving him a halfhearted shove.

“Call mama,” she said, before he could even speak. Opening the door with her spare set of keys, her steps were quick and purposeful as she headed towards the kitchen.

He could practically feel the fear and irritation rolling off of her. He should have known Jocelyn would have put it together. But he didn’t think she’d have gotten the news while sequestered away with his aunts. He hadn’t planned for that at all. Following her inside he headed straight for the phone as the sounds of cabinets opening and closing filled the air.

His mother picked up on the first ring. The loud sob that escaped before she said his name, made his heart hurt. “I’m sorry, mama. I didn’t mean to worry you. I’m okay. I’m okay, mama.”

He spent the next hour reassuring his mother of his continued health. Guilt built with every sniffle, until his eldest brother Gideon took the phone. The next half an hour was unpleasant. He hadn’t been taken to task this hard since his daddy passed.

Jocelyn’s reappearance with a plate of food is the only thing that saved him. She took the phone, shoving the plate into his hands. His stomach suddenly remembered he hasn’t had anything but hospital food for days. Dropping onto the sofa, he listened to Jocelyn calm his brother and reassure his mom. He wondered just how much of his family he’s managed to worry in the last few days. Regret and sorrow started creeping in along with the guilt. He’s always tried his hardest not to worry them. After Riley. After… well just after.

When she hung up, she dropped onto the couch beside him. The food and the warm familiar safety of his big sister pressed against his side was a double whammy, dragging him down into sleep before he could even finish yawning.

Jocelyn shifted from beneath her baby brother, moving to tug him onto the couch. Yanking off his boots, she’s reminded of her son Taylor as she tucks him in. Sam had been the baby for so long that even when their mom had one last child, he was still referred to as the baby. He was a grown man, had been grown for a long time. But he was still her baby brother. There had been a lot of arguing and shouting about who was heading down to check on him. But Sara lived in California, Simon was in Chicago, Gideon was in New York with their mother and Braeden was with Sara. Jocelyn was the next closest and quite frankly most determined. While everyone else had been arguing she’d been packing and arranging her flight plan.

With a sigh she made her way to the front door, pulling it open just enough to grab the shield she’d tucked behind the flower pot on the porch. She stood staring down at it for what might have been minutes but felt like hours. Her brother had gotten himself into something dangerous and he was obviously in deep. That hadn’t worked out so well for her. She’d have to make sure it worked out better for him.

Sam startled awake in the night; flames, gunfire and heat chasing him into reality. A soft touch to his face, followed by a familiar husky voiced lullaby chased him back down again.

* * *

The smell of coffee and a pressing need for the bathroom woke him just past ten the next morning. He stumbled his way in and out of bathroom, taking more time than usual as his body voiced several complaints. He was semi-aware of his sister moving about as he got dressed.

“What’s for breakfast,” Sam asked, making his way to kitchen. “I’m star—“

Sam's jaw nearly dropped at the sight of Cap’s shield, perched bold as brass on the counter.

Jocelyn lifted one perfectly arched brow, from where she sat at the table. “Have a seat little brother,” she with just a hint of smugness.

“Where’d that come from?” Sam squawked.

“The better question, why is it here?” she countered.

“Hell if I know,” Sam muttered. He had no idea. Okay he had a vague idea of who could have brought it here. But he couldn’t begin to guess how, much less why. Maybe he should have accepted the guards like Natasha wanted. But damn… If the Winter Solider wanted to kill him, there weren’t that many people capable of stopping him. The two he knew were currently holed up in the hospital.

“Hmm. Really,” she said slowly. Eyeing him like he was still five years old, denying any knowledge of how the neighbor’s dog had gotten into his room. “Maybe if you took a moment to go over the last few days something would hit you. As it happens, I’ve got nothing else on my plate. Always ready to lend an ear, baby bro.”

“I’m not about to be interrogated in my own home,” growled Sam, slinking over to the stove. He could feel her gaze on his back as he loaded up his plate. When faced with Jocelyn in detective mode the best defense was a good offense. Though not really. His guilt had him acting like a teen-ager again. Ingrained defensiveness kicking in so swiftly, he failed to notice he’d been side-tracked from his own question.

“My! Someone’s certainly defensive,” Jocelyn hummed, into her mug of coffee. Dark eyes peering at him from over the cup. “I don’t know why. It’s not like four days ago the George Washington Memorial Freeway was shot up. Or the day after that three helicarriers crash landed into the Potomac. There definitely weren’t any sightings of a winged man, playing dodge with anti-aircraft weaponry.”

“See… that there,” he grumbled, fixing his own cup. Not quite stalling for time. Just trying to get his thoughts in order. Last night’s food and rest had done him a world of good. He felt more centered, clear-headed but also aware there were certain memories and feelings he was actively ignoring. “That’s why nobody wanted to play with you on game night. The sarcasm totally unnecessary.”

“Spill.”

Sam spilled. It was inevitable. There was no point making it harder on himself. Despite the fact he and Braeden were closest in age, he and Jocelyn were the most alike. Both self-sufficient. Both naturally stubborn. Both possessed of a need to help. He’d actually followed his big sister into the service. Though they’d been in different branches.

When he’d come back she’d been the only thing keeping him half-way sane. Having her there telling him she couldn’t do it for him, but she knew he could do it was all he had keeping him breathing some days. There wasn’t much he wouldn’t do if she asked.

Breakfast had gone cold and it was well past afternoon by the time he’d finished telling her everything. She only interrupted him once at the very beginning. Giggling helplessly at the fact that apparently Captain America pulled pigtails like a little boy. It was the only bright spot in his retelling.

If she’d been anyone else he’d have said her face had remained impassive throughout. She had a poker face to rival Natasha. But she was his sister and over the years he’d learned her tells. Several things had spooked her. They sat in silence for a bit. When he finally looked at her to see how she was taking it, he grimaced. Then braced himself. She had her lawyer face on.

“Were you seen at Fort Meade?” she asked, quietly as she stood gathering the dishes.

Sam pushed back from the table, making his way over to the sink. “Nope. Natasha and Steve handled that.” Which had been kinda awesomely terrifying. Natasha had made breaking into the base look like child’s play.

“So only receiving stolen government property,” she pointed out, dropping the dishes into the half-full sink.

Sam winced. Yeah, he was hoping that got overlooked.

“I’m calling James.”

“Do you really think that’s necessary? I’m sure Steve isn’t planning to hang me out to dry.” Honestly, he pretty much knew Steve would go all Captain America on anyone attempting to do anything except thank him for his part in things. It’s not that he had a problem with involving Colonel Rhodes. Working with the man had been one of the best parts of training with the EXO project. What he had a problem with was his sister calling her ex-boyfriend to bail her kid brother outta trouble.

“ _Listen_. Shield is currently dead in the water. Maybe they make it back from this. Maybe they don’t. But the politicians are going to be looking for scapegoats. I don’t want you to be one of them. If you’re going on this crusade with _Captain America_ ,” – her tone went strange for a moment – “then I want your butt covered.”

There was no denying the logic in that. Then there was the fact that Colonel Rhodes was the military liaison to Wakanda. If there was any chance of him getting wings again, it was through the Colonel. It wasn’t like he was going to let Steve go looking for the Winter Solider on his own. Having his wings could make things easier. Also, government sanction or at least neutrality couldn’t hurt. “Agreed.”

They fell into a companionable silence as they finished washing the dishes. When the last one was dried, Sam nudged her with his shoulder. “You know something.”

“I know a lot of things.” Jocelyn answered a wry grin curving her lips. “But what I know first and foremost is that we need to start covering our asses. Project Insight won’t have been Hydra’s only plan.”

“How do you know this? Is this why you needed to go into Witness Protection?”

Jocelyn winced. “No. Well, not exactly. _Uhh_ … I’m not actually in WitProtection.”

Sam was too stunned to actually speak. “Then what the hell was all that?”

Jocelyn sighed before gesturing toward the living room. He followed her in, curling up against the couch’s arm as she’d settled on the other end. Bare feet tangling together.

“It’s a long involved story, which I’m not getting into,” she said flatly. Really not wanting to get into it. But willing to give Sam the bare basics. Knowing he could and would dig for the truth just as persistently as she had. “I went after a group of corrupt officers. If I hadn’t listened to hunch from a good friend, I would have died. He and Braeden set everything up. A few phone calls. A few props. A bit of hacking. Detective Jocelyn Carter died, all her records mysteriously vanished or changed. I slipped back into being Jocelyn Wilson.”

The spike of _pain-terror-hurt_ at the thought held Sam silent. He remembered that call. His mother in tears. Heading to New York for the funeral. Trying to take of his nephew, Taylor. Arguing with Braeden about who Taylor would be living with. Wanting to strangle her when she’d taken off with him after the funeral. Wanting to murder her when she called insisting the five of them bring their mother to Aunt Missy’s in Kansas a week later. Finding out his sister was alive, if in hiding. For the first time in ages, believing his father might have been right. That there was a higher power. Sam closed his eyes, breathing deeply for several minutes. Reminded himself that as horrible as it had been, Jocelyn had done it to save herself. “Braeden just went along with this?”

Jocelyn snorted. “That girl lives for secrets and intrigue. When I told her I needed a few resources only a U.S. Marshall could provide she jumped at the chance.” Watching the play of emotions over Sam’s face, gave her a tiny twinge of guilt. She really wished she could tell him everything but now wasn’t the time. According to Auntie Missy, Sam’s own destiny was bearing down on him like a runaway train.

“Now what’s relevant to you Sammy is the fact I had a case with people who’d previously worked with factions in the government, probably Hydra; who had been sponsoring programs for a mass surveillance system. Experimenting with multiple ways to spy on and target people. Two of those are live. I don’t know if they’re better or worse than Insight. Either way, you tanked Insight.” She smirked holding up her hand.

It was ridiculous but Sam high-fived anyway. He had kicked ass.  “Who else knows about this?”

“Only you and Braeden. And the Aunties.”

Sam didn’t question why them. The Aunties knew everything. It was a fact of life. Slouching down, he poked her with his foot. Wanting to ask why she hadn’t told him before. But knowing why. Two peas in a pod.

“So, that’s my drama. Not nearly as interesting as exposing Hydra or being picked up by Captain America,” she teased. “Now, I’m gonna call James. See what we can do about your recent, probably future vigilantism. Why don’t you go see bout your boy?”

Sam glared. “He’s not—“

“Oh, please. The last time you had hearts in your eyes like this you were chasing after Leila Taylor. Remind me how long the two of you were together?”

Sam grumbled wordlessly beneath his breath as his sister laughed at him.

Jocelyn climbed to her feet then padded over to the counter to grab her cell phone. James was not going to be happy with her but he’d help. He was good like that.

“You should probably take the Captain his shield when you go.” She called over her shoulder, disappearing into the guestroom.

Sam nearly fell of the couch at the reminder. The phone ringing derailed his plans to get her to own up to what she knew about Cap’s shield. The caller being Natasha made all plans other than getting back to the hospital irrelevant.

All he wanted now was to be there when Steve woke up.

 


End file.
